


A Favor For a Friend

by ChasingEphemerata



Category: Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Genre: Dubious Consent, F/M, Light Bondage, Post-Movie, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-21
Updated: 2014-02-21
Packaged: 2018-01-13 06:31:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1216114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChasingEphemerata/pseuds/ChasingEphemerata
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Felix confesses his frustrations to Ralph, and then asks a favor he could only ask of a trusted best friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Favor For a Friend

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own these characters and their associated worlds. They're property of Disney. Their usage is only for entertainment and titillation purposes.

x-x-x

Sunday night, a booth toward the back of Tapper's.

Ralph set down his rootbeer as Felix leaned forward onto the table in frustration.

“I dunno, Ralph. It's just not me, but if it's what she wants...I suppose,” the handyman complained quietly with a heavy sigh at the end of the sentence. “What can I do? You tell me. You've had lots of experience with women.”

Ralph picked up his drink again and sipped at it thoughtfully. They watched the noisy bunch of girls in the center of the room, a group of racers and fighting characters. Laughing. Giggling. Celebrating. Apparently it was girls' night out for them. After a few minutes, Ralph picked up his drink again. “Well, have you tried telling her no?”

Felix looked up at him bashfully. “How can I tell her no? I want her to have everything she wants.”

Ralph shook his head. “Well maybe you'll just have to start making some boundaries instead of making excuses. I know you love her but you don't have to love everything about her.”

The handyman sighed heavily. “I just wish I knew what was wrong with her. She's wonderful...at least until I turn out the lights. And then it's like she's back on the battlefield.”

“PTSD...” mumbled Ralph and he finished off his drink. “Like Markowski. Like Gene was for a while. Like all those guys in that one WWII game.”

“Yeah, but why does it have to hit her in the bedroom?”

“Want me to talk to her?”

Felix paled. “Talk to her about our sex life? She'd have a fit! She'd smack me around something fierce if she knew I'd told you this much,” he whined.

Ralph chuckled. “Lighten up a little. You know it was the rootbeer talking. She knows you're a lightweight.”

“Well maybe you could.” He suddenly started laughing. “Tie her to a chair and put a light in her face and interrogate her.”

Ralph chuckled. “I'm sure she'd love that. But at least she couldn't leave or refuse.”

“Of course since it's the bedroom where the problems are happening, it would be more appropriate if you tied her to the bed.”

“Why don't I just make love to her while I'm at it? I'll certainly find out what's wrong with her then,” he teased.

Felix downed the rest of his rootbeer and slumped once more against the table. His fingers began to worry the corner of a cocktail napkin into a twist. “You know Ralph, maybe that's not such a bad idea.”

“What? Tie her to the chair and interrogate her?”

“No...make love to her. You would find out then. You've been with lots of women.”

Ralph coughed. “I was just kidding. I mean Tammy's one hot chick, but she's also your wife.”

“I know. And I trust you.” He was looking up at Ralph with pleading eyes. “You'd know exactly what was wrong with her or us or me if you did. If you did.”

“Yeah, but...she's not going to go for that. And I don't think you are once you sober up.”

“I mean it, Ralph.” He grabbed the wrecker's hand. “Okay, you'll probably still have to tie her up because she'll probably try to fight you off. But I think this actually might work. Please?”

He blinked at the handyman. “You really are serious about this?”

Felix nodded.

“Maybe you should sleep on it...just saying.”

“No way! Tonight. I'm not getting the sawdust beaten out of me again.”

“All right. But maybe you should be there so you can stop things if you change your mind, and so you can hear what she has to say.”

“She might not give the same confession if I'm there. I think she'd be more honest without me around.” Felix looked up at the clock. “It's Sunday night. She's got perimeter patrol tonight so she'll be expecting me at nine. C'mon Ralph. Let's make this happen.”

x-x-x

Ralph knocked on the door to Calhoun's suite in the barracks of Hero's Duty. When she opened, Ralph just pushed his way in. And then he set a bottle of vodka and a couple of glasses on the low table before the couch. “Zangief gave me a little present. Think you could help me with it?”

Her eyes lit up, her love of strong drink barely concealable. “Well yes, but where's Felix?” She looked out the door and down the hall.

“He'll be along soon.”

“Along soon? What's he doing?” She came back in, drying her hair with the towel slung around her neck. Apparently she'd showered not long before his arrival.

“I dunno. He just told me to go on ahead.” He opened the bottle and poured two glasses full.

She plopped down into the sofa and picked up the glass closest to her. “Well here's to having friends with connections,” she toasted.

“Here's to making new connections,” he countered.

“What's that supposed to mean? You meet somebody?” she asked after they clinked the rims together.

Ralph just chuckled.

They talked lightly, Calhoun mostly rambling through the day's war stories. Ralph kept refilling her glass, and the bottle was soon half empty.

And then she looked over at Ralph, her eyes fixing on him. “Wreck-It, why do you keep looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“That weird little smirk. And where in Hell is Felix?” She emptied her glass. 

Ralph moved to the couch beside her. He could see the redness across her nose and cheeks from the alcohol and the lazy look to her eyes. Perfect.

“What are you looking at, Wreck-It?”

“Just you.”

“All right. What's this about? You two have something planned, don't you?” she asked accusingly.

Ralph leaned back into the sofa and crossed his legs. “Felix wanted me to talk to you...and to teach you a few things.”

“Huh? About what?”

“He says that things aren't so good between you two.”

“Whaddaya mean? Things are great. We've been married two months. We're happy.”

“He told me that sure everything looks great on the outside. But turn out the lights, and it's day and night.”

“Wreck-It, what the heck are you talking about?”

“Sex.”

“Sex? What?! Look, Ralph, I know you're his best friend and all, but let me put this simply. Butt out.” She was blushing, and not just from the vodka now.

Ralph shook his head. “He's crazy about you, so he wants me to sort things out. Figure out what's wrong.”

Calhoun stood angrily. “There is nothing wrong, and if there were, it would be between Fix-It and I.”

Ralph held her gaze. “You're not giving him a chance, so he's tagged me in.” He took another drink. “Earlier tonight he was sobbing his little heart out because he can't make you cum and because you're so rough with him and he doesn't like it, but it's obviously what you want.”

“Okay, so we're a little dysfunctional in bed. But this is still none of your business.” She folded her arms over her chest. “I can't believe he told you this,” she huffed angrily.

“Felix is my best friend, which makes it my business. Like I said, he tagged me in, so I'm just going to take you out for a little spin in the sheets and see what's wrong.”

Calhoun turned bright red, and then pointed at the door. “Out! Now!”

Ralph shook his head. “Nope. What happens next is we get undressed and head for the bedroom.”

“Out!” She moved toward the door and put her hand on the button that would open it.

Ralph sighed and stood. “All right. Fine. We'll do this the hard way.” He took a few steps toward the door as if to leave.

She pressed the button, but it didn't open. Growling, she punched the button harder, but it refused to budge. Turning back to him with “Did you lock this?” on her lips, she found her face consumed by one of his massive palms. His other hand closed around her.

Calhoun began to struggle but suddenly lost consciousness. Ralph smirked—the little trick Felix had shown him had worked. And with that he carried the sergeant's body into the bedroom.

x-x-x

When Calhoun found herself conscious again, she immediately noticed the room was dark. No, it wasn't darkness. She could feel a blindfold over her eyes. And to go with it she found herself tied to her bed. Various tugs in different directions told her that she'd been tied hand and foot, spread-eagled atop the sheets.

“Ah, you're awake,” said Ralph.

She felt the mattress sag as the wrecker sat next to her.

“Ralph! Why are you doing this? Why am I tied up? You're going to be in so much trouble. Was that the same trick you used on Markowski to knock him out?”

Ralph chuckled.

“I'll scream if you don't let me up this instant.”

“Go ahead. One, these walls are soundproof. Felix assured me. And two, if any of your men came in right now, I think they'd be more willing to help me deal with you rather than rescue you, given how you look right now. You realize that the only thing you're wearing right now is a blanket and a blindfold?”

Calhoun shuddered. She'd been afraid of that.

“So then, if you're not going to try screaming, let's get down to business and figure out what's up between you and Felix.”

“You lied when he said he'd be here, didn't you?” she growled.

Ralph only responded by pulling back the blanket and running his hand gently over her bared skin, a long wandering touch that meandered its way from her neck to her knees, lazily running circles across her stomach and over her breasts on its journey downwards. And the touch had confirmed what he'd said, that she'd been stripped naked to add to the humiliation of being tied across the bed. Perhaps he hadn't been bluffing about having sex with her as well.

“Ralph, if you do this you'll be in so much trouble. You know that. And for heavens' sake I'm your best friend's wife.”

“I know,” he said, not at all intimidated, his fingertip drawing lines across her sternum. “That's why it's me here and not someone else.” He tipped forward and kissed the center of the imaginary heart he'd just drawn, a spot normally cluttered with the chain of her dogtags, but even they had been removed.

“Ralph, this is rape.”

“That depends on how far I go. Right now I think I'm only guilty of holding you against your will.”

“Ralph!”

“Shhhhh...” He pressed a finger to her lips. “You're talking too much about things that don't matter right now. I need to know what's wrong between you and Felix, not about the villain I am. Now just relax.”

The kisses continued. Sometimes he kissed her with his lips. Sometimes with the tip of his nose. Sometimes with the point of his tongue.

“When Felix finds out... you know I'm going to tell him.”

The kisses stopped.

“That's right, Junkpile. As soon as I'm free.”

“It's okay, Tammy. I already know,” came Felix's voice from across the room.

The horror of the situation hit her hard. While she was lying there bound and naked and being molested by Ralph, her husband was nearby watching the whole show.

“Felix! Are you tied up too?”

The handyman chuckled, and then she heard his feet hit the ground. “Nope. I'm the one who started all this. He called me over when you were unconscious, just so I could see what was going on. I wanted to hear what you were going to say.”

“Felix! What's going on!? Why are you letting him do this to me?”

“I trust him.” He took a deep breath. “Now just do everything he tells you to and answer any questions he asks.”

“What?! Seriously?! You're going to let him get all over me like this? Touching me?”

She felt the bed shift and the press of his cheek against hers. “I love you, Tammy. And I think we can make things work between us.”

“If you want things to work between us, why is he here?! This has nothing to do with Ralph. This is our problem.”

Felix pressed his lips to hers, and there was something nice about her not being able to grab him back or force him over or flip him onto the floor or bed or sofa like she usually did. “I trust him, and I want you do everything he says...everything.” His voice dropped lower for the final word.

“Felix?”

“Please Tammy?” His hands clutched her arm. “Please?”

She bit her lip.

He hopped off the bed and headed for the door.

“No, don't leave me! Fix-It! Don't!”

“I'll just be in the way. Now tell me you'll do everything Ralph says and I'll see you tomorrow.” 

“Seriously?”

“Tell me you'll obey him.”

She groaned. “Really? You really want me to?”

“Yes ma'am.”

She groaned again. “Fine. If you really think this is necessary. And I'm only doing this because you said to.”

“Thank you. I love you, Tammy.” And with that she heard the door and he was gone.

Calhoun groaned. How could he do this? How could he leave her at the mercy of the wrecker. Of course up until a minute ago, he was going to sit there watch the proceedings. What sort of perversion was that?

The kisses continued. “See...everything's cool. Now just relax,” said Ralph quietly.

“Fine...” she huffed. And she tried her best to relax beneath his smooth touch. As before, the giant could be surprisingly gentle in his caresses, and with the blindfold on and the gradual numbing of the single position on the bed, she found it easier to lose herself than she thought possible. Soon she was reluctantly sinking into a well of comfortable pleasure. At least until his kisses found a new spot with greater sensitivity, at which she would gasp and squirm slightly until the skin became accustomed to being touched. Felix had never played this game with her, not since their first week of marriage. Their sexual encounters had all too quickly found a routine, devoid of any experimentation or variance.

And when Ralph's lips meandered lower and brushed the soft patch of blond pubic hair and then found her clitoris, she gasped and strained against the ropes. “No! Not there!” she whimpered.

“Why not?” he asked, his tongue darting against it defiantly.

“No!” she could only manage. The warm wet touch of his mouth was a persuasive silencer when her reeling mind tried to find a reason for the no. Felix never kissed her there.

“Ralph...this is wrong...” she finally was able to say, but by now his tongue was pushed deeply between the folds of skin just below the sensitive nub.

“Felix gave me carte blanche, so there's nothing to stop me. Doesn't it feel good?”

“I don't care how it feels...this whole situation just isn't right.”

“So it does feel good...you just have a hard time accepting pleasure.”

“I do not. I accept it just fine. Just not from you.”

“Hmmmph,” he snorted and went back to probing her soft flesh, sometimes lapping at the entrance of her pussy, sometimes lapping at her clit.

But then he pulled away and she wondered why, until she felt his hands tugging at the rope about her ankle. Her leg untied, he pushed her thigh upwards, exposing her completely to the hungry affections of his tongue.

Calhoun bit her lip again. The longer she lay there in his grasp, the further her will to escape slipped away. The warmth passed between them, and while she pulled at the ropes holding her captive, it was only in reaction to the intense stimulation.

His tongue now pushed inside of her, the wet wriggling muscle diving between the walls of warm flesh. Unable to penetrate too deeply, he withdrew, only to replace it with what felt like his pinky finger. While the fingers of an ordinary man's hand would be small and somewhat unsatisfying, the unusual size of Ralph's hands meant that even this smallest digit was enormous, and it filled her completely. First she cried out in shock, but then realized how good it felt and so moaned shamefully in approval. Catching herself she pulled at the ropes again. She had told Felix she would cooperate, but she'd steeled herself against enjoying it.

Ralph's breath tickled the patch of blond hair above her slit as he worked at her, pushing the fat finger in and out of her, but all too soon he withdrew. She was about to ask why when she felt her other leg being freed from its restraints.

And while she probably could have fought him off for a while, the triggered desire inside of her refused to resist. Instead she allowed him to push her legs apart and press his face to the warm, wet skin.

Allowed? Not that really she had any say. Ralph was far stronger than she was, and she was still tied at the wrists to her sturdy bed.

His pinky finger eased without resistance into her again, and he slid it back and forth, thrusting gently into her wet, now welcoming flesh. And to both of their surprise she suddenly came, crying out in passion, mewling in the unexpected release he'd brought her to. And as she rode her climax through, he thrust faster with a perfectly steady rhythm, somehow knowing how to milk the most satisfaction out of her moment. When the blinding pleasure eventually faded she moaned and her body melted against the bed.

Ralph chuckled again at her helplessness, a victim of a physical need to be touched...well touched...while her mind would fight until the last moment when it would be dragged along hopelessly. Calhoun knew this herself, and as good as she felt at that moment, there was still the guilt and disgust that it was Ralph as her partner in this pleasure.

The wrecker gave her clit a couple last licks, sending twinges of sensation down her legs and up her spine, before withdrawing his pinky from her. Surprisingly, with its removal, she suddenly felt empty. “No...” she whimpered.

“No?” he queried.

She suddenly bit her lip. Why had she said that?

“Don't worry,” he answered. “I've got plenty more for you. That was just the start. I've got all night to figure out what makes you tick. And I have to find out why you're ticking out of sync with Felix.”

She gritted her teeth. There was no problem between her and Felix. But now all her wondering about something else would be satisfied. It would be a lie to say that she'd never thought of Ralph sexually. Felix had said that the wrecker had enjoyed a number of lovers over the years. Something in his easy grace and casual humor was very attractive, and physically, he was a big man, Felix's opposite, much closer to the men in her game compared to those in his own. But despite his size and his job, he was surprisingly dextrous when he set his mind to it, as he had demonstrated. After all, he'd just brought her to orgasm with unexpected speed. Felix couldn't do that. For the past month she'd been taking care of her own satisfaction in bed, her husband trying desperately to keep up.

Ralph grabbed his cock and stroked its length a couple of times. It was hard and fully erect now, eagerly awaiting its cue to take center stage. He scooted closer to Calhoun, wedging his knees beneath her and lifting her hips into the air.

Calhoun, sensing what was coming next, swallowed. Hopefully the proportions of his hands didn't apply everywhere. At least she was in her own game and could regenerate. And maybe Felix was just waiting in the living room. If she screamed, while the sound wouldn't carry outside of her little suite, he'd certainly hear it within.

Ralph pushed the head of his erection against the slickened folds of skin guarding the passage inside. He studied Calhoun's face as he rocked forward and gave a probing push toward her. “Don't hold your breath,” was his judgment. “Just relax.”

Calhoun let her breath out—she hadn't even realized she'd been holding it—and Ralph pushed harder. The heavy head of his cock shoved into the hungry mouth of her pussy, eliciting a wave of various emotions across her face—desire, worry, need, anticipation. But on withdrawing, they melted away. And while the head opened her wide, it seemed a size she could handle. He would stretch her, but not break her.

“I'm ready,” she breathed.

“All right.” He guided the head again to the entrance, feeling his own need beginning to ache in his blood. But he couldn't let it take charge, not yet. Slowly he penetrated her, drawing out the motion to watch her face again. He was surprised when he found he was able to sheathe himself completely inside of her. Apparently the men in her game must have some length as well for her to be designed as such. But she was still quite tight inside, at least for his girth.

And of course she noticed the close fit. “Damn you're big,” she moaned, her hands twisting around the ropes still attaching her to the bed. “Not surprisingly really.”

“Is it too much? I can ease off a bit.”

“No...just not used to it. I can handle it.”

He withdrew halfway and thrust back in, faster this time.

“Mmmph!” she grunted, and then smiled involuntarily.

“You like that?” Ralph gave her a few more thrusts.

“Yes,” she said somewhat bashfully.

“If I untie your wrists, will you be a good girl?” He pulled out of her slowly until only the head of his penis remained inside of her.

“Yes.”

He pulled out completely and straddled her, reaching up to untie the ropes. On being released she grabbed for the blindfold, but he stopped her. “Not yet. You have to keep that on.”

“Fine,” she huffed.

Changing positions, Ralph sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her into his lap and soon had her deeply impaled on his cock again. But once she was seated she immediately grabbed him tightly and tried to push him down onto the bed. “Whoa! Easy there,” he said, fighting back. “I'm in charge here tonight.”

“But I'm...” She was cut off by his hand cupping the back of her head and forcing their lips together.

Calhoun had always imagined that kissing Ralph would be rather slobbery and disgusting, but surprisingly, it wasn't nearly the hentai horror show she'd imagined. In fact it felt pretty good, the warmth of the man radiating into her. Their tongues met and slid over each other, tiny whimpers becoming their conversation.

And when they broke to breathe, his hand moved down to her shoulders. “Now shhh... You're going to take it easy and relax and learn to let the man take control.”

“But if I don't...”

Ralph cut her off again with another kiss. “Mmmmph,” was her last resistant comment.

He kissed her for a while longer, one hand supporting her back, the other cupping her head. And when he was ready, he held her tightly against his chest, and without breaking the coitus, he lifted her up, turned about, and lay her back down onto the bed. Slowly at first, but then with an increasing rhythm he began to thrust into her, her feet perched on the bed's side rail and his hands cupping her knees.

As she had relaxed somewhat now, he allowed himself to relax a bit more as well and to enjoy the encounter. He experimented with positioning her and himself, trying out a number of angles and poses. And he began to learn some of her preferences...where she liked to be touched...how she enjoyed being taken. Occasionally she would try to take charge, at which point he'd have to hold her tightly and wait until she relaxed again and allowed him to resume, submitting to his demand to lead this encounter.

This went on for some time, the minutes on the clock ticking by steadily, and Ralph wondered how much progress he was making with her. While he'd been trying to hold back, he knew his own pinnacle of pleasure was now rapidly approaching. She had tightened up inside and he found himself moaning with each stroke.

And when he found himself growing inevitably close to his finish, he rolled her onto her back from their current position, arranged himself between her knees, and pushed deep inside of her with a passionate groan.

Calhoun picked up on the signals and kissed him softly on the lips, the first time she herself had initiated a kiss. An hour and a half of his control had finally worn down her resistance. “I'm ready,” she whispered. “Go ahead and cum.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he could feel her spreading her legs apart even further.

Ralph buried his face into her neck, his lips latching onto her skin. “May I cum inside you?” he asked breathlessly.

“Yes,” came the whispered reply. “Go ahead...fill me.”

Simply hearing the willing invitation in her voice was nearly enough to send him over the edge. He pressed himself deep inside of her, feeling the swollen head of his cock bend against the furthest depth of her pussy. She moaned and bit her lip and gripped him all the tighter. “Is that okay?” he asked, knowing his size and the fullness of his penetration couldn't be the most comfortable for her.

“I'm okay...don't stop.”

He began a series of long, heavy thrusts that he knew would propel him to a climax. Tension and electricity began to build up in his body, and he knew that soon he'd fall over that blinding edge into a moment of indescribable sensation and passion. Calhoun was responding as well, gasping every time his bucking hips collided with her. “Cum for me...” she whispered over and over in his ear encouragingly.

Felix was right. She could be so amazing at times, so loving and passionate and sensitive, a perfect female creature, at least until her mind and whatever issues troubled her regained the upper hand and she was lost to frustration and pain. But taking control was probably the last thing on her mind right now, for her gasps had become imploring moans, and he realized that she herself was drawing close to an orgasm again, spurred on by Ralph's building pleasure. “Mmm...” she whispered into his ear. “Brad...oh Brad.”

Ralph's building pleasure came to an immediate halt.

Brad? Who was he? His mind raced and his thrusting began to peter out. Brad? Was there another man in her life? Was she cheating on Felix and that's why things had fallen apart between them?

“Who's Brad?” he asked her at point blank range.

“Mmm? Brad... Brad?” she mumbled, thrown by the change in their rhythm. They'd been so close to falling over that edge together.

“You called me Brad.”

“Sorry...I guess I got a little lost there.”

“Who's he?”

“He's... forget it.” A tremble ran through her body, and suddenly everything they had been building toward was gone.

“Tammy...you have to tell me. Who's Brad.”

A sob suddenly escaped her throat. “Brad was my fiancee, the one in my backstory.”

Ralph's mind and heart went tumbling head over heels. Felix had mentioned a dead fiancee in her backstory...a tragically dead fiancee. But no name had ever been given. He propped himself up on his arms and looked down at her.

She'd let go of his shoulders and now had her arms wrapped around herself, and it was obvious that whatever path led into the darkest parts of her psyche, they'd both just stumbled down it.

“Tammy...I didn't know. I didn't know you still thought of him.”

“I'll never escape him. His memory is always there.”

Ralph withdrew from her and rolled to his side, and then he took off the blindfold with his free hand.

There were tears in her eyes.

The gears in Ralph's head began to spin. “Your backstory...was there sex in it?”

She nodded, and sobbed again.

Thoughts began to align. “When Brad made love to you, was he rough with you?”

For the first time since he'd knocked her unconscious her eyes met his. “Why are you asking this?” she sniffled. “I don't want to talk about it. What is there to know? I lost him and it hurts.”

Ralph gently stroked her cheek. “Please tell me...”

She sighed and searched Ralph's face, finding only compassion in his brown eyes, the lustless gaze of someone who genuinely cared. “No. He wasn't rough. He was like you...very gentle Very soft in his kisses.”

“And nothing like you and Felix are now when you're together?”

“Well no...well, Felix was at first. But then he changed.”

“Or did you change?”

“Ralph, what does this have to do with anything?” Her defenses were beginning to rise again.

“Shh...let me think.” He looked down at her again, but their eyes did not meet this time. She lay staring up at the barracks ceiling, her much disheveled blonde hair half covering her eyes. Suddenly the pieces all clicked into place. The reasons for Felix's complaints. The reasons for their sexual troubles were all coming into focus.

Suddenly everything made sense.

He laughed gleefully and then kissed her hard, his tongue searching her mouth for hers. And then he climbed between her legs again.

“Ralph?”

“Shh... Time to relax again,” he chuckled. His softened manhood swelled with new life and he pushed his way back into her. The thrusting resumed—a quicker pace than before—and he fell into a steady rhythm once more.

Calhoun, puzzled by the detour and her tears and his sudden joyousness, sighed and spread her legs wide again, allowing herself to be swept along in the sudden exuberance of passion.

When Ralph came shortly thereafter, he groaned and laughed and winced and shook his way through the orgasm, a flood of semen and heat spilling out of him. His body quaked in the deepest of ecstasies and he moaned her name.

x-x-x

Ralph staggered home. He could at least get in a few hours of sleep before the arcade opened at noon.

Felix caught him just as he reached his house and the men went inside. “Well? Learn anything?”

Ralph grinned at him. “You married one heck of a lady.”

Felix smiled, and then pouted, and then smiled again.

“I think I know what the problem is.”

“You do?” Felix hopped onto Ralph's couch and sat wringing his cap nervously.

“She's all hung up on Brad. You go to bed. You start kissing her, and that old memory switches on, because that's how he used to treat her too. He was good to her too. Always treated her nicely.”

“And so she starts thinking about him.”

Ralph nodded. “It's like he's in bed with you as well. And so to try to get him out, she changes...she fights. She makes sure that you're not him. That's why she's so rough with you. She doesn't want anything to be the same.”

“So what do I do? How do I fight a memory?”

“Well, you've got several options actually.”

“Tell me!” Felix gasped desperately.

Ralph poured himself a glass of water and gathered his thoughts as he drank it. “One, you keep things as they are. Two, you take more charge and let her know it. She'll let you hold her down if you're convinced that you're the one calling the shots. Or three, when the lights go out, you become Brad for her.”

“What do you think would be best?”

Ralph yawned. “Well I'm certain we can rule out that first option. I hate seeing you suffer. But as for the other two, you'll have to make that call yourself.”

Felix sprang to Ralph's side. “Brother, I think you may have saved us.”

Ralph yawned again. “I'm glad. I'm also worn out. We can talk about it more tomorrow, but that's basically how it falls.” He pulled back the covers on his bed.

“Ralph, you're a good friend. Thank you so much.”

“Anything to help. Just don't let her go. She's one dynamite gal.”

Felix's eyes suddenly opened wide. “You didn't call her that, did you?”

“Naw...you told me not to.”

Felix breathed a sigh of relief and departed.

Ralph stripped off the rest of his clothes and climbed into bed. He ached all over from the use of muscles he didn't usually exercise in such a way. Perhaps two more rounds with Sgt. Calhoun had been purely gratuitous and even selfish. But he'd probably never get the chance again. Besides, she needed more practice at being gentle.

He pulled the sheets up over himself and sighed happily. Maybe he should get himself a wife sometime, or at least a steady girlfriend.

Or perhaps Calhoun would need regular fixing, fixing in a way that Felix couldn't.

x-x-x

The End


End file.
